Abstract
Despite the greater prevalence of obesity, African American (AA) adults represent a minority of bariatric surgery patients. The aim of this study was to determine variables associated with attrition among AA patients seeking bariatric surgery. We performed a retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of AA patients with obesity referred for surgery and who initiated the preoperative work-up as per insurance requirements. The sample was then divided between those undergoing surgery and those who did not receive surgery. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that male patients (OR 0.53 95% CI 0.28-0.98) and those with public insurance (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.37 – 0.83) were significantly less likely to undergo surgery. The use of telehealth was strongly associated with receiving surgery (OR 3.53, 95% CI 2.36 - 5.29). Our results might help developing targeted strategies to reduce attrition rates among AA patients with obesity seeking bariatric surgery.
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Schlottmann F, Baz C, Dreifuss NH, Vanetta C, Masrur MA. Gender disparities in bariatric surgery among African Americans. Obes Surg. 2022;32(8):2820–2.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Informed consent was waived due to the retrospective nature of the study.
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Oral Presentation at the 25th World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO), August 23-27 2022, Miami, FL, USA.
Key Points
• Attrition rates are high among African American with obesity who seek bariatric surgery.
• Male patients and those with public insurance are more likely to drop out from the program.
• Adherence to the program is higher among telehealth users.
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Schlottmann, F., Baz, C., Dreifuss, N.H. et al. Attrition Rates Among African American Patients with Obesity Seeking Bariatric Surgery: a High-Volume Single Center Analysis. OBES SURG 33, 1297–1299 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-023-06512-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-023-06512-7